Apparatus for cranking automobiles.



T. J. ROBERTS. APPARATUS FOR ORANKINGAUTOMOBILES. P11641101! FILED mu 10,1911.

$304,201. Patented Sept. 26, 1911;

I 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1- T. J. ROBERTS. APPARATUS FOR ORANKING AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION I'ILED MAY 18,1911.

01,004,201. v Patented Sept. 26,1911.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

6 Y I, 2 H a F Allomey;

To all whom it may concern:

. the drawings by letter, A designates a por and centrally apertured for the reception of .45

'useful Improvements in Apparatus for automobiles and the 0 ject in view is to produce a simple and eflicient device of this na- .theautomobile is a a cylindrical outlined THOMAS Josnrra nosnnrs, or ATLANTA, enonera.

APPARATUS FOR CRANKING AUTOMOBILES. 7

Specification of Letters Patent.

Pate'nted Sept. e6, 1911.

Application med May 16, 1911. Serial No. 627,524. I

Be it knowmthat I, THOMAS J. Ronanrs, a citizen of the United States, residin at Atlanta, inthe county of Fulton and State of Georgia, have inventedcertain new and Cranking- Automobiles; and I do hereby declare the followin to bea full, clear, and exact description o the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accom anying drawings, and to the letters and ggures of ref erence marked thereon, whichform a part of this specification.

The invention relatesto new and useful improvements in apparatus for cranking ture which may be actuated by an operator While sitting in the seat of the machine and comprises various details of construction andcombinations and arrangements of parts which will be hereinafter fully described and then specifically defined in the appended claims.

oI illustrate my invention in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a sectional viewthrough an automobile showing the application of my invention. Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view. Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2, showing parts in elevation, and Fig. 4 is a detail'sectional view.

Reference now being had to the details of tion Of the front end of an automobile and B isa motor shaft which is journaled in suitable bearings and has a series of ratchet teeth B formed in the end thereof. .Fastened to the forward end of the part A of member C, the inner end of which is closed the end of .the motor shaft having said ratchet teeth.' Upon reference to the sec-- tional'view in the drawings, it will be noted that't-he forward end of the motor shaft extends only partially through the aperture in the endjof the cylinder. Said cylinder has,. at any suitable location, ribs C projecting therefrom which, in the present instance, are located diametrically opposite each other. Springs, designated by letter E, are adapted to bear yieldin 1y a ainst the innerface of the disk F,.an the ottom of the recess in shaft G, which has ratchet teeth G formed at its inner end adapted to intermesh with the ratchet teeth-and the outer end 'of the motor shaft. The inner end of the shaft G is adapted to have a bearing inthe central aperture formed in the end of the cylinder and, when at its farthestinner throw, is in gear with the ratchet teeth of. the motor shaft." Said disk F has notches F formed in its circumference at points diametrically oppositeand adapted to receive said ribs C, the latter and said recesses forming means for guiding thedis'k as it is moved back and fort within the cylinder. of the disk is PIOVldQd with a hub I which a is centrally apertured and the false shaft has a bearing in the registering apertures in the disk and hub. The outer end of the shaft G has a bearing in .a cross-piece J which "is sup ported by. the arms H which project in a vance of the forward end of the automobile. Fixed to the false shaft is a gear wheel 0,

the teeth of which are adapted tohavin sliding mesh. with the teeth 'of a ear whee K which is fastened to the rotatab e shaft L.

Said shaft is journ'aled in suitable hearings in the frame of the automobile and has con nectedtherewith an operating wheel L',

which is so positioned as totbe within convenient reach of the operator of the automo-.'

The outer face the cylinder. The disk F is centrally a er- .tured at F for the receptionv of the also.

fro

bile as he sits upon the-seat of the machine.

Theouter face of the gear wheel 0 is provided with a' recess 0', the ends of which are inclined, and Q, designates an anti-friction wheel which is journaled upon a pin Q, carried in therecess in the cross-piece J. Said anti-friction wheel is adapted to 'be normally positi oned in the recess formed In the outer face of the gear wheel 0 when the apparatus is at rest, the parts being held in such pos1-' tion by'the sprin s upon the inner end of the cylinder whidll bear against and hold the disk at its farthest outer limit.

When it"is desired to start the engine by cranking the same for the purpose 0 drawing in a compression preparatory to its be:-

ing exploded, the operator, by giving the hand wheel a partial rotary movemenhmay cause a complete revolution to be 1m arted to the ear wheel 0, intermeshing with the wheel It will be noted that the compar-.:

ative size'of the gear wheels will cause the gear wheel 0 to make a complete revolution .whilethe hand wheel is only given a partial opposite the recess,

revolution As the gear wheel 0 commences to rotate, the inclined end of the recess coming against the antifriction wheel will cause thegear wheel to be moved toward the engine under the tension of the springs which bear against the inner faceof the disk. After the anti-friction wheel leaves the recess, it will contact against the outer faceof said gear wheel and, when a complete revolution is imparted to the gear wheel O ?and the anti-friction wheel comes the springs bearing agalnst the disk will cause the gear wheel to be thrown back to its normal position. As

the gear wheel 0 is thrown toward the enbe conveniently started without the neces- 1 which is commonly sity of the person putting on the usual crank the custom and afterward getting into the vehicle, thecrank'mg, by the present invention, being conveniently accomplished by the operator while sitting 1 in his seat upon the machine.

Y biles comprising a motor shaft with ratchet teeth n the end thereof, a casing secured What I claim to be new is 4 1 1. An apparatus-for cranking automobiles comprising a motor shaft with ratchet teeth in the end thereof, a spring-pressed block, means for guiding the same, a false shaft journaled in said block and having ratchet teeth at its inner end adapted to engage the teeth of the motor shaft, a gear .wheel fixed to the false shaft, a hand operated wheel, gear connection between the same and the gear upon the false shaft, said gear Wheel upon the false shaft having a recess in its face, ananti-friction' wheel mounted adjacent to the gear wheel and normally positioned in said recess, said false shaft adapted to be given a longitudinal movement to cause the ratchet teeth to intermesh as the gear wheel is rotated.

2. An apparatus for cranking automoto the forward end of the automobile and having a closed end which is apertured for the reception of the end of the motor shaft, *a block movable within the casing, means for guiding the block, said block having a central aperture, springs ner end of the casing and bearing against said block, a false shaft journaled' in an ing fastened to the inaperture in; the block and having ratchetteeth at its inner end adapted to intermesh I with the ratchet teeth of the motor shaft, a hand operated wheel and gear connections and the false shaft for and means for impartbetween the same rotating. the latter,

a longitudinal movement to the false shaft as the gears rotate. I

3.An apparatus for cranking automobile's c'omprismg a motor shaft with ratchet teeth in the end thereof, a casing secured to the forward end of the automobile and having a closed. end which is apertured reception of' the end of. the motor shaft,

a block movable within the casing, means for guiding theblock, said blockhaving a central aperture, springs fastened to the inner end of the casing and bearing against said'block, a cross-piece upon the frame of the automobile, a false shaft having a bearing in said cross-piece and in said blockand having ratchet teeth'formed in its inner end,

a gear wheel fixed to the false shaft and having friction wheel carried by the cross-piece and normally positioned in said recess,

operated wheel,

.and gear connections between the shaft and gear wheel with the recess in the face thereof.

4, An apparatus for cranking automobiles comprising a motor shaft with ratchet teeth in the end thereof, a cylindrical casing fastened to the end of the automobile and having an inner wall which is apertured for the reception of the motor shaft, ribs projecting from the circumference ofsaid "casing, a block movable within the casing and having notches'fo'r the reception of said ribs, springs fastened to the inner face of the end wall of the casing and bearing against said block, a cross-piece upon the frame of the automobile, a false shaft journaled in saidcross-piece and in an aperture .in said'block, the" inner end of, the false shaft having ratchet teeth, a gear wheel fixed to the false shaft and having a recess in its outer face, the innerwalls of which are inclined, an anti-friction wheel jour- -'nal e d in the cross-piece and normally positioned in said recess, a hand operating wheel, a shaft upon which the same 'is mounted, av gear wheel fixed to the shaft upon which the operating wheel is mounted and in; mesh with said gear wheel-upon the false shaft.

In testimony whereof I hereunto attixmy signature in the presence of two witnesses. I

THOMAS JOSHUA ROBERTS.

"Witnesses:

H. M. J ONES, A. G. Srnmnnmnn.

Copies of this patent may "be obtained for flve cents'each, by addressing the flommissioner of mitents,

for .the

a recess in its outer face, an anti-' a hand a shaft carrying the same,

mi a 

